Berkeley Arts Magnet at Whittier school, commonly referred to as BAM, is a K through 5 elementary school located in beautiful Berkeley, California. BAM has a rich and diverse student community, and a unique history.
BAM is located at the Whittier campus, in the North Shattuck / Gourmet Ghetto neighborhood of north Berkeley, and just blocks from Downtown Berkeley.
BAM offers a rich curriculum in both academics and arts. The school community values learning experiences in all domains, and consistently pledges funds and instructional time to incorporate visual and performing arts into a comprehensive education program.
Berkeley Arts Magnet teachers recognize the diversity of learners in each classroom, and have committed to ongoing professional development in “best practices” to promote academic achievement in reading, writing and math. In this way, the needs of all students are supported through a rich program that is not “one size fits all.”
Parents and caregivers are an essential part of the school community, and take their responsibility as school partners seriously. Volunteers and organizers support our children at the classroom, school, district and community levels. This is a school that can count on lots of family support, and this is a school that provides multiple opportunities for participation. All our family and caregiver groups (PTA, African-American Families United at BAM, Family Now, School Governance Council, and the BAM Giving Campaign) promote active participation, parent education, student achievement, and community celebration. Our parents and caregivers also do ongoing fund-raising to provide supplemental and enrichment programs that simply cannot be offered without these additional funds. Generous giving supports our YMCA P.E. program, KALA arts enrichment, Performing Arts Workshops, and more.
Berkeley Arts Magnet does not shy away from challenges, and we face – as do many public schools – some sobering reality. We are building our systems to reduce barriers to learning and to achieve equitable outcomes. Our Universal Learning Support System Team meets weekly to address the needs of struggling students. We are extending learning in our before and after school programs. We are working with our larger community to provide additional resources to promote achievement. Berkeley Arts Magnet is a dedicated school community aspiring to school success for all.